Automatic feeder.



F. PERSANS.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

PPLIOATION FILED 111110.12, 1910.

991,358. Patented Maya, 1911.

"#VENTOR rsa/ww,

ATTORNEY Y E. PBRSANS. AUTOMATIC FEEDER. APPHoATIoN FILED 1320.12., 1910.

Patented May 2, 191.1. y

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY THE NaRRIs Pssfasgn., wAsHlNnTaN, o. '6.

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FERDINAND PERSANS, OF WEST PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed December 12, 1910. Serial No. 596,872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND PERSANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Pittston, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Automatic Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in automatic feeding means for conveyers, and its object is to provide a means whereby conveyer buckets will receive predetermined amounts of material, the feed being controlled by the passage of the buckets under the feeding chute or hopper.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a gate at the discharge end of a chute or hopper or other suitable receptacle for the material, and this gate is under the control of mechanism responsive to the passage of the conveyer buckets, so that the material is allowed to flow into the bucket only when in receiving position beneath the discharge end of the hopper, and then the gate is closed during the interval covering the passage of the adjacent ends of two buckets beneath the discharge end of the hopper.

The present invention is adapted to any style of conveyer bucket in common use requiring merely the addition of a stud or projection at proper intervals beyond the line of the conveyer chain or bucket-connecting links.

The present invention also provides for an adjustment of the gate in such manner that the extent of opening of the gate may be prearranged within the necessity of modification of the actuating mechanism, and, furthermore, the actuating mechanism may be locked out of the path of the conveyer, so as to remain inactive even though the conveyer bucket be moving progressively. This last named feature is of importance where there are provided two or more hoppers in the line of travel of the conveyer, and it is desirable to cut out all the hoppers of the series but the one from which material is to be drawn, said hopper to remain active to feed material into the conveyer buckets.

The invention also comprises means whereby the material may be directed into the forward end of the bucket and the material deposited leveled off by the progressive movement of the bucket.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that while the drawings show a practical embodiment of the invention, the latter is susceptible of other embodiments which do not mark a material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In the drawings z-Figure l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention, also showing a portion of a conveyer associated therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the actuating arms engaged by the conveyer. Fig. t is a perspective view of a modified form of the structure shown lin Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a framework made up of posts l and cross beams 2, 3, all preferably of structural steel, although the use of such material is not mandatory. The cross beams 2 are arranged at the top and bottom of what may be termed the sides of the framework and the beams 3 extend across the framework at top and bottom, thus defining a substantially rectangular frame of suiiiciently rigid construction, and corner plates 4 are incorporated into the framework to add rigidity to the structure. Extending across the frame between and secured to the top beams 2 are other beams 5 which may, also, be made of angle material, and all these beams may be appropriately riveted together.

The beams 5 support a hopper 6 provided with a downwardly directed discharge spout 7 terminating in a mouth end 8 curved on an arc described about the longitudinal axes of appropriate pintles 9 projecting from plates 10 made fast to opposite sides of the spout 7. These pintles 9 are designed to carry movable members, and to add rigidity to the spout 7 braces 11a extend therefrom to the upper beams 3.

Material is deposited in the hopper 6 and it gravitates into the spout 7 and ultimately out through the mouth 8, and since the passage of the material is designed to be accomplished by the action of gravity the spout 7 is upright or inclined and the legs of thc supporting frame are similarly placed in the practical installation of the invention.

The height of the legs 1 and the extent of downward projection of the spout 7 are so proportioned that there is provided space for the passage of a conveyer through the framework beneath the spout 7, but in operative relation thereto. In the drawings the conveyer is shown as composed of suitable buckets 11 each hung from trunnions 12, andthese trunnions are connected by spaced links 13 to cross rods 14 intermediate of the buckets, the trunnions 12, links 13 and rods 14 constituting conveyer chains on opposite sides of the series of buckets. The trunnions 12 and rods 14 carry wheels or rollers' 15 on opposite sides of the buckets, these rollers being designed to travel upon suitable tracks commonly employed in conveyersystems, butenot forming part of the present invention such tracks have been omitted from the drawings.

The buckets 11 have been shown in the drawings as of a form quite commonly employed, but other forms of buckets may be used, the present invention being adaptable to different commercial types of conveyers.

The rods 14 are shown as extending laterally to a greater extent than the trunnions 12, and beyond the outermost links 13 the rods 14 each carry at each end a sleeve 16 constituting a bearing roller which may be of comparatively small diameter with relation to the diameter of t-he wheels 15.

Hung from the pintles 9 by means of side plates 17 is a gate 18 curved on an arc described about the axis of the pintles 9, and this gate is of a size to close the mouth 8 of the spout 7, the gate 18 fully covering the mouth of the spout when the gate is in the pendent position.

Made fast to one of the side members 17 of the gate 18 is an arm 19 directed toward one edge of the gate, and secured to the gate by a bolt 2O or otherwise at the end of the arm remote from the pintle 9, beyond which the arm 19 has an extension 21 on the side of the pintle remote from the gate, the outer end of this arm being connected by a link 22 to a rock arm 23 on a rock shaft 24 journaled in bearings 25 connected to appropriate ones of the posts 1, these being the posts between which the buckets of the conveyer pass on leaving the hopper supporting frame, it being understood that in the particular showing of the drawings the conveyer buckets are assumed to be moving toward the left. Fast on the shaft 24 is an arm 26 having its free end provid-ed with a lateral extension 27 in the path of the rollers 16 on one end of each rod 14. The arm 19 has the end adjacent the bolt 20 provided with a series of perforations 27a adapted to receive a pin 28 traversing the forked end 29 of a latch arm 30 provided with spaced recesses 31, 32, respectively, at different points in its length, and appropriately remote from the pin 28, which latter constitutes a pivot connection for the arm 30, and this arm 30 terminates in a handle 33 beyond the recess 32.

There is provided a shaft 34 mounted in journal bearings 35 fast to the legs 1 on that side of the frame remote from the shaft 24, andto this shaft 35 there is secured an arm 36 having its free end 37 bifurcatcd and traversed by apin 38, so that the end 37 of the arm 36 may straddle the arm 30 with the pin 38 seated in one or the other of the recesses 31 or 32. Fast to the shaft 34 is an arm 39 similar to the arm 2G and like this arm terminating in a lateral extension 40 designed to be engaged by any one of the rollers 1G in the path of which it may be.

Fast to the spout 7 near the mouth end thereof and on that side from which, as will hereinafter appear, the gate moves on being opened, there is a. deflector plate 41 having ends 42 in embracing relation to the sides of the spout 7, while the bottom portion 43 of the plate is inclined toward the center line of the neck 7. Fast to the corresponding side of the spout 7 are studs 44 traversing slots 45 in the side members 42 of the plate 41, and nuts 4G applied to these studs serve to secure the plate 41 in any adjusted position toward or from the spout 7 permitted by thc length of the slots 45. The inclined portion 43 is so related to the bottom of the spout as to at all times partially underride the same and its lower edge is in position to engage material deposited in the buckets 11 and level this material as the buckets move in the travel of the conveyor. Let it be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in F 2 with material in the hopper 6 and filling the spout 7, but prevented from escaping from the spout by the gate 18, which in this position of the parts is closed. The arm 39 is in position to be engaged by the on-coming roller 1G of the rod 14 adjacent thereto, so that as the conveyer progresses toward the left the arm 34 will be moved in the same direction, thus rocking the shaft 34 and causing the end 37 of the arm 36 to move in an upward direction carrying with it the arm 30, the pin 3S of the arm 3G being at this time in the notch 31. This movement will cause a rocking of the gate 18 about its axis defined by the pintles 9 in a direction toward the right, thus progressively uncovering the mouth 8 of the spout 7 to cause an outflow of material against the inclined wall 43 of the plate 41, and as the parts are so timed in operation that at this instant the forward end of a bucket has already underridden the lower end of the inclined portion 43, material passing from the spout 7 will be directed by the inclined portion 43 of the plate 41 into the on-coming bucket. The gate 18 is rapidly opened and if the parts be so adjusted, is carried to the full open position, so that the material will fall into the bucket with the greatest rapidity for which the device may be set, while any tendency of piling of the material is overcome by the leveling action of the lower end of the deflecting and leveling plate 41--43. The opening of the gate has reacted through the arm 21, link 22 and arm 23 upon the shaft 24 to rock the same, so as to direct the lower end of the arm 26 t0- ward the right and into the path of an oncoming roller 16, which in this case is immediately at the front of the bucket being filled, while the roller 16 acting on the arm 39 is immediately at the rear of the bucket being filled. As soon as the roller 16 at the front of the bucket is brought into engagement with the arm 26 by the progressional movement of the conveyer, this arm is carried toward the left and the direction of rocking of the shaft 24 is reversed, causing the arm 23 to move toward the right and imparting a like movement to the arm 21 through the link 22, this resulting in a return of the gate 18 toward the closed position, and the movement of the arm 30 and arm 26 in a direction to rock the shaft 34 to bring the arm 39 into the path of the neXt succeeding roller 16, the arm 26 being ultimately moved out of the path of the roller then acting thereon, but the parts are so proportioned that by this time the gate 18 has been fully closed, and the flow of material has been stopped but any heaping of the material in the bucket being filled is prevented by the leveling action of the lower edge of the inclined portion 43. During the passage of the tail end of the bucket and the approaching end of the neXt succeeding bucket across the mouth end of the spout 7, the gate 18 remains closed, to be opened, however, by the engagement of the proper one of the rollers 16 with the arm 39 as soon as the lower edge of the inclined portion 43 is in delivering relation to the forward end of the bucket about to be filled. The operation is, there fore, entirely automatic without chance of spilling any of the material between the buckets, and without any hea-ping of the material within the buckets, the material being well distributed and leveled off by the progressional movement of the buckets.

Some materials flow more freely than others and consequently with the same speed of progressive movement of the buckets, the opening of the gate must be less pronounced, so that by shifting the pin 28 to another one of the perforations 273L in the arm 19 whereby the connection of the arm 30 with the bucket is more remote from the pintles 9 than before, the extent of opening of the gate is lessened.

It may at times be desirable to arrest the fiow of the material from the hopper without stopping the conveyer, and for this purpose the arm 36 may be shifted from the recess 31 to the recess 32, in which position the arm '39 will be carried and held out of the path of the rollers 16, thus sustaining the parts in the inactive position, even though the progressional movement of the conveyer continues, the arm 26 being at the same time out of the path of the rollers 16. This arrangement is advantageous where there may be two or more hoppers 6 in the line of the conveyer, and these hoppers may contain different materials which it is desirable to deposit in the conveyer buckets from time to time, the desired one or ones of the feeder mechanisms being rendered active or inactive to cause the feeding of the material wanted into the buckets, and preventing the feeding of any of the other materials thereinto.

Instead of the offsett 27 or 40 on the respective levers 26 and 39, a roller 47 may be provided as shown in Fig. 4, such roller serving to reduce wear.

For small outfits, arms 26 and 39 and parts operated thereby may be arranged on one side only of the spout 7, but in installations of large size such parts may be located on both sides of the spout, as is customary.

1. In a means for delivering material to conveyer buckets, a discharge spout, a controlling gate therefor, a rock arm at one side of the gate controllable by the conveyer on its progressional movement and connected to the gate for causing the opening thereof, another rock arm at the side of the gate remote from the first rock arm, said second rock arm being controllable by the conveyer for causing the closing of the gate and mounted independently of the gate, and connections from each arm to the gate.

2. In a means for delivering material to conveyer buckets connected by conveyer' chains, a frame, a material directing spout mounted on said frame, a controlling gate for the spout, a rock arm mounted on the frame at one side of the spout and connected to the gate for causing the opening movement thereof, another rock arm mounted on the frame at the side of the gate remote from the first named rock arm and connected to the gate for causing the closing movement thereof, said arms moving simultaneously in opposite directions,V and spaced projections on the conveyer chain for engaging the rock arms successively on the progressional movement of the conveyer.

3. In a means for delivering material to conveyer buckets, a spout for delivering material to the buckets, a swinging gate therefor, arock arm controllable by the conveyer, adjustable connections between the rock arm and the gate, and another rock arm connected to the gate, said rock arms being both under the control of the conveyer for successive operation and connected for movement in opposite directions.

t. In a means for delivering material to conveyer buckets, a spout for delivering the material to the buckets, a rockable gate for controlling the flow of material from the spout, oppositely movable spaced rock arms each connected to the gate, said connections causing movements of the arms in opposite directions, and a latch member interposed in the connections between one of the arms and the gate for holding said arms out of active position.

5. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a spout for directing material to the conveyer buckets, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the spout, a rock arm controllable by the progressive movement of the conveyer to open the gate, and adjustable connections between the rock arm and the gate for determining the degree of opening of the gate under the same extent of movement of the rock arm.

6. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a spout for directing matcrial to the conveyer, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the spout, a Vrock arm in positionto be actuated by the progressional Amovement of the conveyer, and a latch connection between the rock arm and the gate, said latch connection having means for holding the arm in either the active or inactive position with relation to the conveyer.

7. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a spout for directing material to the conveyer, a pivoted gate for controlling the discharge end of the spout, a rock member at one side of the gate adapted to be actuated by the progressional movement of the conveyer, a connection between the said rock member and the gate adjustable as to its point of connection with relation to the gate to determine the throw of the latter by said rock member, another rock member on the side of the gate remote from the first named rock member, and a connection from the second rock member to the gate on the side Vof the pivot of the gate remote from the connection between the first named rock member and the gate.

8. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyer, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the feed spout, a rock member controllable by the progressional movement of the conveyer, and a latch member having one end pivotally connected to the gate and provided with spaced notches for connection to, the rock member, one notch being positioned to present the rock member in operative relation to the conveyer and the other notch being positioned to hold the rock member out of operative relation to the conveyer.

9. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyer, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the feed spout, a rock member controllable by the progressional movement of the conveyer, and a latch member having one end pivotally connected to the gate and provided with spaced notches for connection to the rock member, one notch being positioned to present the rock member in operative relation to the conveyer and the other notch being positioned to hold the rock member out of operative relation to the conveyer, said lat-ch member being adjustably connected to the gate for determining the throw thereof under the action of the rock member. l0. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyer, a rockable gate for determining the flow of material from the spout, oppositely directed arms connected to the gate,v one arm extending beyond the support of the gate in a direction remote from the gate and the other arm extending along the gate and provided with a series of perforations, rock shafts on opposite sides of the gate, an arm on each shaft movable into operative relation to the conveyer to be actuated thereby, another arm on each shaft, a latch member having spaced recesses and connected t0 the perforated arm, said latch member being capable of connection with the arm on the adjacent rock shaft by either of the notches, and a link connection between the respective arm of the other rock shaft and that arm on the gate extending from the side of the snpport of the gate remote from said gate.

1l. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyer, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the feed spout to the conveyer, means controllable'by the conveyer for actuating the gate, and a material directing means also serving as a leveling means for the conveyer.

l2. In a means for delivering material into conveyer bucket-s, a feed spout for drecting material into the conveyer, a gate at the discharge end of the feed spout for controlling the flow of material therefrom, and a material diverting member in the path of material issuing from the feed spout and directed reversely to the line of travel of the conveyer.

13. In a means for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout fordi.- recting material to the conveyer, a gate for controlling the flow of material from the spout, and a diverting plate having an inclined bottom portion with the inclination the reverse of the direction of travel of the conveyer, said diverting plate being carried by the feed spout With the inclined bottom underriding that portion of the spout first opened by the gate.

14. In a machine for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyor, a gate movable across the discharge end of the spout, and a diverter comprising a plate having side members embracing the sides of the spout in adjustable relation thereto, and a bottom member inclined in the direction of travel of the gate on opening and underriding that portion of the spout first opened by the gate.

15. In a machine for delivering material into conveyer buckets, a feed spout for directing material to the conveyer, a gate movable across the discharge end of the spout7 and a diverter comprising a plate having side members embracing the sides of the spout in adjustable relation thereto, and a bottom member inclined in the direction of travel of the gate on opening and underriding that portion of the spout first opened by the gate, the inclined portion of the diverting member extending into leveling relation to the conveyer.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tvvo Witnesses.

FERDINAND PERSANS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. DELAHINTY, FREDERICK G. SGHMAK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

